Grain-drier



(No Model.)

L. GATHMANN- GRAIN DRIER. N0. 339,874. V PatentedAprllB, 1-886.

A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOULS GATHMANN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GRAIN-DRIE.

PECIPICATIN forming part of Letters Patent N0. 339,874, dated April 13, 1886.

Application filell December 8, 1885. Serial No. 185,034. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may cmcern: y

Be it known that I, LoUIs GATHMANN, a Citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Driers, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The nature of my invention relates to apparatus for drying grain by artificial heat in a continuous automatic operation; and it has for its Object to arrange an air-heating apparatus between the legs of an elevator,and to provide for a free circulation of theheated air through the grain while elevated in the buckets.

My invention therefore consists of the novel devices and colnbinations of devices hereinafter described and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a Vertical section of the entire apparatus; Fig. 2, a sectional plan of the same, and Fig. 3 a sectional plan of the device modified.

Corresponding letters in the several figures of the drawings designate like parts.

A denotes one of a pair of sprocket-wheels mounted upon an upper shal't, a, to Which power is applied in ally suitable nlanner; and B is One of a pair of sprocket-wheels mounted upon a shaft, b, within the boot O of the elevator. Over these sprocket-wheels A and B are stretched endless chains or link-belts D, carrying elevator-buckets E, which latter are made of perforated sheet metal or Wire-cloth in a manner to hold the grain and yet to allow a ciculation of air through such grain.

For the purpose of providing a ready discharge of the grain from the buckets E into the hopper F, I place below the uppersprocketwheel, A, a pair of idler-wheels, G, that guide the chains D on their loose or down-moving side to be about on a parallel line with the elevating side of the chains; but these guidewheels G are not essential, since by placing the elevator on an inclination it can be made to discharge the grain into the hopper F without such guide-wheels G.

HH' are the elevator-legs extending froln the boot C to the head I, in which the bucketchains travel. To one end of head I is connected the hopper F, which to its lower end has turn-spout J. The space between the elevator-'legs H H', that is generally left open, I close in from both sides, and place into the so obtained Vertical chamber Z a lower horizontal flue, L, and an upper horizontal flue,

M, both colnmunicating through a` series of Vertical tubes, N.

O is a stove or furnace placed anywhere near the elevator. combustion from a fire in such stove O are conducted through smoke-pipe P into flue L, Whenoe they pass upward through fiues N into fiue M, and thence are carried off through a smoke-pipe, Q. rllhe tlues L, M, and N thus arranged forul a radiator for heating the circulating air. The stove or furna'ce O is inclosed by a casing,R, standing upon legs to admit air from under into the stove-surrounding space, which air as it becomes heated will rise and pass off through pipe S, surrounding sxnoke-pipe P and leading into leg H'. The inward wall, h, of elevator-leg H' is perforated to allow the heated air from Chamber Z to pass into leg H' and to circulate through the grain carried in perforated buckets E.

l Vith the llead I of the elevator I connect a suction-fan, T, that Will draw off the air impregnated with the moistu re evaporated from the grain by the heat, and that will produce a strong air-circulation through elevator-leg H' only by providingthe hopper Fwith a valve, U, ovcrbalanced by a weighted 1ever, V, in a manner that it will be opened from the pressure of the grain after the hopper has been partly filled therewith, and that Will be automatically closed again by 1ever V as soon as the grain has passed through or by such valve.

Grain to be dried is conducted from the bin of an elevator into the elevator-boot through hopper W, that is provided with a gate, p, for regulating the feed of such grain; but when the same grain has not become sufficiently dry With passing through the Inachine once the gatep is closed and the spout J is turned to discharge into hopper X, whence, through a flue, Y, the grain is dumped into the boot again, to pass through the machine Once more or as often as necessary.

The apparatus is to be arranged in any well- The hot gases Or products of IOO known manner to change and regulate .the speed of the upper shaft, a, that the grain may be held in the buckets a longer or shorter time, according to its condition Or the degree of dryness to be obtained. g

The flues L; M, and N r'nay be dispensed With, and the ch-anlber Z itself may form the radiator by being suitably connected With smoke-pipes Pand Q, as shown by Fig. 3, in which case, however, the inner Walls of the elevator-legs H H', fornling two of the Walls of such heating-chanilbe, nlust beilnperforate.

It is obvious that a steam-radiator may be arranged as well between the elevatoI'-legs.

What I clainl is- 1. A grain-dying appaatus consisting of an elevator and of a heating-radiator placed or fornled between the legs of such elevator, substantially as set forth.

2. A grain-drying apparatus consisting of an elevator having perforatedwbuckets and of forth.

formed between the legs of such elevator, and of an exhaust-fan connected with such elevator, all substantiall y asset foth.`

in presence of' two witnesses.

LoUIs GATHMANN.

ftnessesz RIOHARD REINBOLI),

HARRIs W. HUEHL.

a heating-radiator placed or formed between the legs of such elevator, substantially as set j 3. A grain-drying apparatlls consisting of 25 an elevator, of' a heating-radiator plaoed or 4:. A grain-drying apparatus consistiug of 30v heating-radiatonplaced or formed between the V 35 In testimony'whereof I aflix my Signature 

